Hydrocarbon-vapor apparatus



A. A. MOSS.

Gas Apparatus.

Patented Aug. 9, 1859.

N. PETERS, Phclwljlhcgnphar Washington. 0.0.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFTCE.

A. A. MOS S, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

HYDROCARBON-Y TAPOR APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 25,032, dated August 9, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. A. Moss, of the city of Philadelphia. in the State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Making Illuminating-Gas; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1, is a vertical longitudinal section of the apparatus: and Fig. 2, a horizontal section of the same. through the line, wm, of Fig. 1.

The object of my invention is the production, in a more cheap, certain and expeditious manner, of an illuminating gas from the steam of water and the vapor of any of the appropriate hydrocarbons; and it consists of a steam generator and drier connected with a hydrocarbon vaporizer and a retort charged with coke, pieces of bricks, pumice-stone, or other equivalent materialand kept at a red heatthe said devices being so arranged and combined in relation to each other and a heat generating furnace, as to generate the steam separately from the hydrocarbon vapor, and subsequently to conduct them, mingled together, into the re tort, as hereinafter described, from whence they may issue in the state of a pro erly and permanently combined carburetec hydrogen gas, ready for purifying for illuminating purposes.

In the drawings, A, represents the steam generator; B, the steam drier; C, the hydrocarbon vaporizer; D, the retort, and, E, a furnace for generating the necessary heat, like letters, in both figures, indicating the same parts.

The steam generator (A) consists of a boiler arranged so as to project down into the interior of the vaporizer (C), and is provided with a safety-valve, f, feed pipe, 9, and a downward directed, steam conducting pipe, h-which opens into one end of the steam drier (B), and also with a stopcock, z'. i

The steam drier (B) is a close vessel arranged, in an opening made through the furance top, so as to be kept hot enough to dry or super-heat the steam delivered by the pipe (h). It communicates, at its opposite end, with another pipe, 71/, which enters the vaporizer (C) and forms a serpentine coil over and a little above its bottomthe part within the said vaporizer (C) being perforated with numerous small holes, k-Zc, along its whole extent, and its end closed-substantially as shown in the drawmg.

The vaporizer (C) is a vessel provided with a safety-valve, Z, a feed pipe at. and a vapor conducting pipe, n. The feed pipe (172) is intended to be provided, at any suitable part outside of the vessel (0), with a stop cock, so as to enable the operator to control the supply of feed to the said vaporizer. An agitator may be applied within the vessel, if desired.

The retort (D) is an oblong vessel. fixed in a vertical position, substantially as shown, and so as to project down into the hot-air chamber (E) of the furnace. and also near enough to the incandescent fuel thereof, to be kept at a strong red heat when the apparatus is in operation, as hereinafter described. It is connected at one end with the vapor pipe (02), and has, at the other end, an outlet pipe, 0, which is adapted to be connected with any suitable pipe leading into a purifier of any suitable kind and to which it is to be attached, in making gas. The tops or covers of these vessels, and the pipes (h & n) are secured so as to be removable, in the usual well known manner, for affording access to their interior; and likewise also, the bottom of the retort (D) is made so that it can be removed, to dis charge the contents of the vessel, below, should occasion at any time so require.

Operation: The retort (D) is charged with pieces of bricks, pumice stone, or coke; or other similar material, to about the height of the line, u; water is then let into the boiler (A), through the feed pipe (g), and keptin height therein, afterward, at or near the line, o, a sufficient fire is then kept up in the furnace (E) to generate steam plentifully in the said boiler, and also to keep the retort (D) at a strong red heat, and the steam drier (B) at a sufficient heat to prevent the passage of either water or vapor into the vaporizing vessel (C)either of the hydrocarbons, as coal tar, coal oil, benzole, naphtha, rosin, paraffin, petroleum, turpentine, pyroligneous ether, &c., being also, at the same time, admitted gradually into the vaporizer (C), through the supply pipe (m), so as to be kept at about the height of the line w, or so as to keep the perforated, serpentine coil (h) just covered therewith.

As the steam is generated and dried, it

passes into the serpentine coil (h), and.

through the perforations (7c 70) therein, upward through the superstratum of the boiling hydrocarbon in the vaporizer (O) which hydrocarbon is continually being va porized and mingled with the steam from the coil (72,) and in this state (both together) pass through the pipe into the retort (D) wherecoming in direct, intimate contact with the extensive surfaces of the red-hot pieces of bricks, pumice stone, carbon, or whatever other equivalent substance it has been charged withthe said steamand-vapor are caused to combine in the most perfect and intimate manner, or to produce a highly and permanently carbureted hydrogen gas, whichissuing through the tube (0)enters a purifier and finally a reservoir or gasometer, ready for use.

The drier (B), and also the pipes (h & a), should be covered with steam-jackets, in the usual manner, to prevent the radiation of heat therefrom.

It will be perceived that this apparatus is perfectly subject to the control of the at tendant and is adapted to produce the result required, in the most economical, certain and expeditious manner, as the steam and hydrocarbon vapor are generated separately or in distinct vessels (A and C); that one vessel being within the other (C), but.

one furnace is required to heat them and also, at the same time the drier (B) and retort (D) so that the result required is produced also without any waste of material, or uncertainty as to the operation of each of its parts; and that the apparatus, as a whole, is adequate to the production of carbureted hydrogen gas from steam in combination with the vapor of any one of the hydrocarbons specified.

I am aware that an apparatus has been proposed by 1. Milton Sanders, to whom a patent dated the 27th day of July 1858, was granted for producing illuminating gas from the mixed vapors of water and hydrocarbons, by carrying them into a retort containing carbon at a high red heat; but the apparatus proposed by him is not found to be adequate to the proper manufacturing of gasit not being provided with any suitable means for generating steam and hydrocarbon vapor separately, or so as to bring them together only after the latter is vaporized; besides its defects in an economical point of view. I therefore do not claim, broadly, an apparatus for making illuminating gas from the mixed vapors of water and hydrocarbons; but having fully described the construction and operation of my improved apparatus, and pointed out its superior utility.

What I claim as new and of my invention therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The steam generator (A) and drier (B) in combination with a distinct hydrocarbon vaporizer (C)the same being also connected with a retort (D) and the whole arranged together so as to generate the steam and hydrocarbon vapor separately, and for their subsequent mingling and combination, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth and described.

A. A. MOSS.

Witnesses:

BENJ. MORISON, JAs. R. OLDDEN. 

